Advent 2025, Week 4: John’s Light of Christmas Past/Present/Future, Part 5 In the previous posts this week, I’ve point out how Jesus is the light of Christmas past and present. Now we travel to the future, when Jesus, the light of the world, returns. In Revelation 21:23–24, we read a vision of that future light,Continue reading “The future light of Jesus is available now”
Tag Archives: parenting
Difficult family relationships at the holidays
Advent 2025, Week 4 – John’s Light of Christmas Past/Present/Future, Part 1 I have a friend from college who, together with his wife, have experienced numerous difficulties in parenting. Our kids are about the same age, and they even had three boys then a girl just like us. One of their sons married, then soonContinue reading “Difficult family relationships at the holidays”
Mighty children and fabulous wealth
Advent 2025, Week 1: Psalm 112, Part 3 Two of the primary hopes parents long for is (1) that their children do well, and (2) that they have enough money to provide for their kids. Parents can expend mountains of emotional energy on these two important concerns throughout the parenting years, and even long afterContinue reading “Mighty children and fabulous wealth”
Can the Bible help us resolve family drama? – 2 Samuel 9, 13, 14, 15, Part 1
Do you have drama in your family? I’m sure we could all tell stories. The family member that no one talks to. The family member that is difficult. The family member that, when you are together, spends the whole time talking about themselves, and then just as they are about to leave says, “How areContinue reading “Can the Bible help us resolve family drama? – 2 Samuel 9, 13, 14, 15, Part 1”
Have you ever felt like a fugitive? – 1st Samuel 20, Part 1
Are you a good friend? Would your best friends say that you are a good friend? If your best friends could fill out an anonymous survey evaluating your friendship, what would the results be? I suggest it needs to be anonymous because it is often very difficult for even our closest friends to tell usContinue reading “Have you ever felt like a fugitive? – 1st Samuel 20, Part 1”
How the Fruit of the Spirit helps us be healthy parents – Relationships: Family, Part 3
One of the unique ways that married people can serve the Lord is by choosing to grow their family by adding children. Not all married couples will have children, and we would do well to pay attention to the couples who want to have children but wrestle with infertility. We reach out to them withContinue reading “How the Fruit of the Spirit helps us be healthy parents – Relationships: Family, Part 3”
A lament about lions? – Ezekiel 19, Part 3
Now that we have taken time to understand lament here and here, we return to Ezekiel chapter 19, verse 1, where we learn that God is asking Ezekiel to deliver a lament. Notice that this lament is the opposite of the psalms of lament. In the psalms of the lament, David and the other psalmistContinue reading “A lament about lions? – Ezekiel 19, Part 3”
How atonement changes everything – Ezekiel 15 & 16, Part 3
A family had planned a trip to a Major League baseball game to cheer on their favorite team. The whole family, parents and kids, were very excited to put on their team jerseys, drive to the big city, eat ballpark food, and cheer with the crowd. The day before the game, though, a son inContinue reading “How atonement changes everything – Ezekiel 15 & 16, Part 3”
When Christians have false ideas about God – Ezekiel 13, Preview
Have you ever been in a conversation with someone and thought to yourself, “Woah…they have some strange ideas!”??? Do you confront them? Do you ask for more details? Do you just let it go? Maybe it’s not worth the trouble. Or maybe, we need to be more like children. Children? Yes. Think about the classicContinue reading “When Christians have false ideas about God – Ezekiel 13, Preview”
Is God a frustrated lover? – Ezekiel 7, Part 2
Have you ever experienced the frustration of loving someone who isn’t loving you back? It is a common human relational reality. Spouses that are scorned or betrayed. Kids neglecting their parents, and parents neglecting their kids. Friends that don’t care when you are struggling. Have you ever considered that God might feel like that? InContinue reading “Is God a frustrated lover? – Ezekiel 7, Part 2”
Engaging Scripture 